Jake Ferree

Background:

Jake teaches from the heart with a simple yet powerful message: There is always more to explore and discover. Dedicated to personal transformation inside and out, Jake's true gift lies in his ability to inspire and empower.
Here is what you can expect by meditating with Jake:
Empowerment through playing your edge
tapping into your true potential where the impossible becomes possible. An authentic experience of peace, joy and inner-strength that resides within.

Why I practice meditation:

I practice meditation to help keep myself present.  Distractions are all around us and I have checked out in the past, living on a bit of an autopilot.  Meditation keeps me aware, keeps me here and keeps me present.  Plus it makes me feel great!

 

Why I teach meditation:

I teach because it’s important for me to share the things that I love

Jake-Ferree.jpeg

Connect with Jake:

Bee Bosnak

Background:

Teaching since 2011, my goal is to give you the tools you need so that you too, can heal yourself. Availing myself to continuous philosophical, spiritual and physical education from various disciplines, I weave thought provoking messages throughout my classes. I apply the ancient wisdom to our contemporary western world in a useful and understandable way that will not only connect you back to yourself, but also the universe at large. You will walk out feeling encouraged to find a deeper connection with your body and empowered to live life gracefully on all levels. I use the physical body as a medium to the only thing that this practice is invested in; the ability and the art of letting go.

Born in Turkey, grew up in England, and having spent many years in LA, I currently live in New York City and hope you will join me on the yoga mat or the meditation cushion soon, be it in class, a workshop or a retreat near you.

My yoga trainings include 500hrs through The Kaivalya Yoga Method (Alanna Kaivalya), as well as continuing my education with my second 500hrs through Yoga Medicine (Tiffany Cruikshank). I also hold a certification through Yoga Tune Up® (Jill Miller). My meditation trainings include The Power of Awareness Mindfulness Training (Tara Brach & Jack Kornfield) as well as being a dedicated Vipassana meditator in the lineage of S.N. Goenka. I’ve taken intensives with senior teachers which include Max Strom, Elena Brower and Maty Ezraty.

Why I practice meditation:

To return home.

Why I teach meditation:

To help people open up to possibility. 

 

Bee-Bosnak.jpeg

Connect with Bee:

Amber Gregory

Background:

Amber is a certified yoga and meditation teacher currently based in New York City. Her passion and curiosity around these practices has led to more than 15 years experience in the world of wellness. She has trained in Mindful Awareness; Buddhist and Vedic meditation; Vinyasa and Iyengar Yoga; Physiyoga; and Aromatherapy.
In 2017, Amber had the opportunity to join her mentor, Nikki Costello, on a journey to India. She sat daily with Tibetan Buddhist monks high in the Himalayas at Thiksay Monastery, and had the privilege and honor of meeting His Holiness the Dali Lama. Traveling south to Pune, she then practiced under the expert guidance of Iyengar Yoga teacher, Gulnaz Dashti. The experience not only opened her eyes to the deeper traditions of yoga and meditation, but reaffirmed her love for and commitment to the practice. Growing up in California as a dancer, volleyball player, and snowboarder, Amber first sought out yoga as a way to complement her athletic pursuits. It quickly became clear, however, that the benefits of yoga went far beyond
physical exercise: it required a certain kind of focus and attention that left her with a quiet mind and a deep sense of peace. Eager to understand the inner workings of the practice, she jumped at the opportunity to study within the Mindful Awareness Research Center, earning a B.A. in Sociology from UCLA.
Since then, her devotion to the practice has been unwavering, and her joy when sharing these tools, contagious.

Why I practice meditation:

Meditation brings me home. It allows me to connect to a sense of stillness within that is at once grounding and empowering. As a freelancer and avid traveller I depend daily on my practice to reconnect to my center, returning again and again to my most authentic Self.

Why I teach meditation:

I teach meditation simply because it has brought an immense amount of joy, equanimity, and compassion into my life. Because I have been lucky enough to study with deeply knowledgeable and authentic teachers, I feel called and honored to share these invaluable lessons that help guide us back home.

Amber Visa Photo 2.jpg

Connect with Amber:

 
 

Donna D'Cruz

Background:

Born in India and raised in Australia, Donna produced music with the Australian Aborigines including the Arnhem land tribe  and learned about their "dreamtime." She went on to found Rasa Music, a woman-owned record company that released world music and produced the music of Deepak Chopra and other recordings for meditation. She travels the world as a Celebrity DJ and leads people to ecstatic, profound experiences as they celebrate the biggest moments in their lives. Donna has been teaching and guiding meditations with music for years. She combined her love of music with her passion for awakening consciousness. Named the “Rockstar Teacher of Meditation” by Well+Good, Donna presents her signature “Dip into Bliss” experience globally to Corporations, Brands in the Fashion, Tech and Finance sectors and is a Master presenter at PTTOW and Worldz Summit. She also created and has lead (for 8 years)  the weekly Meditation program at Phoenix House, America’s oldest Drug and Alcohol Recovery Institution. Donna will soon be launching "Sleep Beditations: A Modern Sleep Solution".

Why I practice meditation:

Meditation  is like a personal journey through my subconscious where I get to visit all the inner aspects of myself and give them a mindful tune up in order to live a more balanced external life, in the present moment… and it helps me get shit done!

Why I teach meditation:

I share the DIP INTO BLISS (Meditation) experience with Individuals, Family, Corporations and Leaders to help them realize their deepest life’s purpose.  It is in Stillness that we can shut off the internal clutter,  tune in and listen to our most fervent soul’s purpose and calling. 

 

Donna-D'Cruz.jpeg

Connect with Donna:

Mark Connolly

Background:

As the former Style Director of Conde Nast Traveler for twenty years exotic travel, global style, culture and beauty became embedded in my DNA. The excitement of discovering ancient traditions and wisdom around the world inspired me to take another journey, one of self discovery and personal empowerment.

After leaving the glamorous world of  publishing in 2013, I decided to take a spiritual sabbatical. This lead me to work with renowned Reiki masters, Naam yoga teachers, powerful shamans, past life healers, sound therapists and divine aromatherapy essences. 

All of which come together in my unique and transformative Seven Door Journeys, a  relaxing, nurturing, self healing program to help you unlock your hidden potential and enable you to work through any major life issues. They help you to be present, focused and in the now as your most authentic self. One chakra at a time…

Why I practice meditation:

Meditation  is like a personal journey through my subconscious where I get to visit all the inner aspects of myself and give them a mindful tune up in order to live a more balanced external life, in the present moment… and it helps me get shit done!

Why I teach meditation:

Meditation should be like lip balm…always in your bag and on hand for any occasion. It is one of the easiest and best ways to counteract stress and anxiety. It is an easy access tool that helps  connect people to the hidden aspects of themselves which can help them to lead balanced and authentic lives. It can also help you to discover your superpowers! Who wouldn’t want to teach that?

Mark-Connolly.jpeg

Connect with Mark:

Dr. Belisa Vranich

Background:

Dr. Belisa Vranich is a renowned clinical psychologist, public speaker, and the author of Breathe: The Simple, Revolutionary 14-Day Program to Improve your Mental and Physical Health (St. Martin’s Press/Hay House). Belisa is also the Director of Breathing Science at The Ash Center for Comprehensive Medicine in New York City.

As founder of The Breathing Class™, Dr. Belisa has taught and lectured nationwide on topics related to dysfunctional breathing patterns and stress. Unique in its straightforward approach, The Breathing Class™ addresses both physical and psychological problems related to oxygenation that is out of balance, and teaching people to breathe in an anatomically congruous way that maximizes balanced inhales and exhales.

Dr. Belisa is a regular guest on national television including CNN, Fox News, the Today Show, Good Morning America, Inside Edition, and VH1, and has been interviewed by Anderson Cooper, Soledad O’Brien, Joy Behar, Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira, Juju Chang, Bill O’Reilly, Nancy Grace, and Alisyn Camerota. Dr. Oz has recognized her as one of the top US doctors in her field. She recently appeared as an expert guest on Cesar Millan’s new show, Cesar 911.

After fifteen years of experience in private practice Dr. Belisa is recognized as a leading expert in topics that range from health and fitness, stress reduction, nutrition, relationships, to trauma and addiction. Previously, she was the Director of Public Education at the Mental Health Association of NYC; she cotaught Personality Assessment and Projective Techniques at New York University, she was a consultant at the National Mental Health Association in Washington, DC; director of an outpatient clinic at Jacobi Hospital Center, Bronx, NY; a school psychologist in the South Bronx; and part of the Brooklyn Aids Task Force supporting parolees and their families. A public speaker in the areas of health and mental health, Dr. Belisa has a decade of experience in developing educational campaigns, presenting, and lecturing nationwide.

Why I teach meditation:

My mission is that breathing be included in every health profile in a way that is functional. Along with blood pressure and posture – breathing biomechanics has to be assessed if we are truly going to get to root causes, and inspire critical changes.

belisa lab coat.jpg

Connect with Belisa:

Aimée Derbes

Background:

Dr. Aimée Derbes, DACM, LAc is here to help people reconnect with their innate vibrancy and wholeness, so they can navigate being human with more ease. She offers acupuncture, breathwork meditation, and energy medicine sessions and groups in NYC, and works with people all over the country through virtual breathwork and Healing Touch sessions and online groups.

 

Approaching each of her patients as the beautifully unique and complex individual they are, Aimée weaves together many healing tools – acupuncture, gua sha, cupping, moxibustion, energy healing, breathwork, essential oils, guided meditation, and more – to address physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual concerns and support the whole person. In addition to being a New York state licensed acupuncturist and a Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, she is a nationally certified Chinese herbalist, a Healing Touch Certified Practitioner, and a Certified Breathwork Healer in the tradition of David Elliott. Aimée’s multidisciplinary healing arts practice, Align Acupuncture, is a refuge for people who are ready to be deeply supported as they let go of living in chronic stress, refill their wells, and heal in a sustainable, lasting way.

Why I practice meditation:

Meditation is a tool that helps me take responsibility for myself and my life. My practice has helped me inhabit my body and my life; fully feel emotions; operate from a place of intuition and trust rather than intellect; and heal pain that no other healing modality could touch. The unwinding, healing, and creativity that come through my meditation practice feels bottomless, and I never cease to be amazed with what shows up.    

Why I teach meditation:

I teach so more people have space to feel, unwind tension, self-heal, discover more of who they are, and expand their ideas of what's possible for themselves and for all of us. Teaching is one of my favorite ways to connect with others, be of service, and share this tool that has been so healing in my own life. And did I mention, it's really fun?! 

Stephanie-Carson.jpeg

Connect with Aimée Derbes:

 
 

Paige Novick

Background:

Paige is the owner and creative director of Paige Novick, a fine jewelry and lifestyle brand. She recently introduced Gem Story, a luxe range of crystal infused multi sensory oils that disrupt traditional beauty practices by straddling the worlds of fragrance and wellness. With her brand legacy, Paige’s pivot has garnered much attention from the press, and as a result, she has emerged as a thought -leader and influencer in this modern era of health and wellness.

Certified in crystal healing and meditation with Unplug NY,  Paige leads workshops, teaches mindfulness to children at a New York private school and offers chakra balancing and crystal healing experiences to private clients. Paige also appears on various Podcasts, radio shows and has been featured in Vogue, Elle, The New York Times, WSJ, Harper’s Bazaar and many other high profile magazines, blogs and websites.

Why I practice meditation:

I practice meditation because research in psychology and neuroscience has shown that that quieting the mind and being still in one’s body can ease stress, make us healthier and be deeply transformative. As Carl Jung said “Who looks outside dreams; Who looks inside awakens”

Why I teach meditation:

I teach meditation because my dream is to equip children and adults with the tools for life; emotional literacy and self love among the most important. 

Paige-Novick.jpeg

Connect with Gwen:

Unplug Meditation

12401 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 101 Los Angeles, CA 90025

(310) 826-8899

info@unplug.com